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Letters to Our Community

Letters to Our Community – Monument Town Council opposes bill

As duly elected representatives of the citizens of the Town of Monument, Colo., we want to fervently declare our opposition to Senate Bill 23-213, regarding land use authority. When it comes to matters that should be of local concern—specifically related to land use authority, SB23-213 has been characterized as an attempt to provide affordable housing while, in fact, it is a sweeping attack on local decision-making authority. This is both an attack on home rule authority and an unfunded mandate as it requires the town to expend what will be an inordinate amount of funds for studies that will not actually solve the problem that the bill purports to address. Our community will be directly impacted by the components of this staggering legislation by:

  • Eliminating our ability to zone multi-family housing to locations where the infrastructure is in place to provide the necessary services.
  • Removing our discretion to place certain criteria on multi-family housing, such as parking requirements, along with other infrastructure improvements necessary for the high-density development envisioned by the bill.
  • Allowing the character of neighborhoods to be destroyed by forcing incompatible land uses directly adjacent to single-family homes.
  • Mandating expensive studies relative to housing and water resources, much of which is already duplicated in existing local planning documents.
  • Shifting the burden and responsibility of what have traditionally been local decisions up to a state agency, thus removing local accountability to voters.

The entire bill reflects the state’s belief that it knows far more about what’s best for the quality of life in our communities than our own citizens do. It removes decision-making from the people who are impacted by those decisions and shifts it to a bureaucratic entity that has no vested interest in the Town of Monument, our families, or our character. For those reasons, we strongly ask our legislators to reject this state government power grab.

Mitch LaKind, Mayor, Steve King, Mayor Pro Tem
Sana Abbott, Ken Kimple, Jim Romanello, Marco Fiorito, and Laura Kronick, Town Council Members

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Letters to Our Community – Animals and humans in danger from wildfires

Letters to Our Community – Animals and humans in danger from wildfires

Animals and humans in danger from wildfires

The wildfire burning in Park County, near Florissant, is a reminder that it is not just humans’ lives and homes that are threatened by wildfires. Deer, bears, birds, fish, reptiles, and other animals are killed or displaced, too.

The impacts are also immediate, debilitating and often life-threatening: Thick smoke disorients them, irritates their eyes and makes breathing difficult. Larger animals may try to outrun the flames, while small animals may try to shelter under rocks and in burrows. Those with babies or who are trapped by fences or other structures may not escape.

We can help protect animals and their habitats by eliminating our role in igniting wildfires: Report unattended fires, extinguish campfires and fire pits, keep vehicles off dry grass, don’t throw lit or smoldering cigarettes from your car or truck, and check the weather conditions before burning trash or leaves.

While most naturally occurring wildfires are sparked by lightning, thousands are triggered every year by fireworks. The precaution we can take cannot be clearer.

Craig Shapiro, PETA Foundation

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March Weather Wrap

By Bill Kappel

It was an interesting March around the region with colder than normal temperatures but very little snowfall. This combination is rare. Usually if March is cold it is also snowy, and if March is dry it is warm. But not this year. This is also a little disappointing, as it would have been nice to continue the trend of above-normal moisture we have seen in the last few months. The good news is that snow continued to pile up in the mountains with the exception of the Arkansas River basin. In fact, the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado have been setting records for seasonal snowfall. Just as important, if not more, most of the western U.S. has seen copious amounts of snowfall. Most amazing is the amounts of snowfall that have already occurred this year, with many locations already breaking their all-time seasonal accumulations.

All this moisture in the western U.S. is, of course, very good news for helping alleviate some of the extreme drought conditions that have been occurring for the last several years. Now let’s hope the snow melts out “gracefully” as we head into spring and summer. If not, we will be dealing with some major flood issues throughout the region, especially for areas west of the Continental Divide.

For us along the Palmer Divide, temperatures were below normal for the first week of the month, with highs in the 30s and 40s and a little light snowfall on the 1st and 3rd. Even cooler air moved in on the 7th with areas of low clouds and fog along with some freezing drizzle and flurries through the morning of the 9th. Highs were below freezing on the 7th and 8th as well.

Skies cleared on the 9th and the stronger March sunshine helped temperatures warm quickly, reaching the upper 50s by the 10th. After a brief cool down on the 11th and 12th, the warmest temperatures of the month took hold on the 14th and 15th, topping out in the mid-60s and melting most of the remaining snowpack.

The most organized storm of the month then moved through in the next few days. This storm had all the signs of a spring system in the region, with mild air initially and areas of rain showers and ice pellets just after midnight on the 16th quickly turning to snow and blowing snow. Unsettled and cold conditions continued the next day with highs barely reaching the freezing mark.

Above: On March 20, the first day of spring, fast-moving clouds deliver short, light bursts of snow over Monument. Monument Rock is on the right a bit below the middle of the photo. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.

Spring-like conditions settled in over the remainder of the month, with highs bouncing around from the mid- to upper 50s on the 21st and 22nd to just above the freezing mark on the 25th and 26th. Several of the days started off quiet with mostly clear skies giving way to convective snow showers by late morning and early afternoon. Unfortunately, no organized systems moved through, so snow showers were scattered and didn’t produce any significant accumulations. Temperatures were below normal for most of the last two weeks of the month.

A look ahead

April is known for a wide range of weather conditions in the region and is on average our snowiest month of the year. We can see 70° temperatures one afternoon and blizzard conditions the next. Several recent years have seen over 50 inches of snow accumulate during the month. Of course, it also melts very quickly, often adding beneficial moisture to the soil and helping the vegetation, which is just getting started.

March 2023 Weather Statistics

Average High 43.8° (-8.4°) 100-year return frequency value max 57.9° min 38.0°

Average Low 18.3° (-3.3°) 100-year return frequency value max 27.0° min 12.0°

Highest Temperature: 66° on the 15th

Lowest Temperature: 5° on the 18th

Monthly Precipitation: 0.33” (-1.26”, 80% below normal) 100-year return frequency value max 4.29” min 0.22”

Monthly Snowfall: 6.4” (-13.9”, 70% below normal)

Season to Date Snow: 69.5” (-21.4”, 25% below normal) (the snow season is from July 1 to June 30)

Season to Date Precip.: 2.05” (-1.19”, 35% below normal) (the precip season is from Oct 1 to Sept 30)

Heating Degree Days: 1052 (+139)

Cooling Degree Days: 0

Bill Kappel is a meteorologist and Tri-Lakes resident. He can be reached at billkappel@ocn.me.

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Letters to Our Community – Necessary mitigation

If you were upset and thinking that the wildfire mitigation efforts underway at Monument Preserve are ugly, imagine the catastrophic conflagration that could occur if such mitigation wasn’t done. Imagine the heartache if one of your beloved places was burned to a crisp, reduced to nothing but blackened stalks of trees and scorched earth. Trails would be closed because of the danger of dead trees falling on hikers and bikers. It may not be pretty right now, but if you’ve spent any time outdoors, you know that nature rejuvenates itself. The vegetation will come back and we’ll have a healthier forest land. More important, we’ll have a more defensible forest, if and when flames come licking for more.

Those of us who do not have a degree in forest management or may be unfamiliar with the term Wildland Urban Interface, would do well to trust the professionals. By the way, take a look at your own property and see where mitigation might benefit your property and make you safer. There are knowledgeable people, particularly if you live in Woodmoor, who will come out and help you decide what you can do to achieve that. You’ll find that you can perform mitigation and still have a very nice-looking property.

Bill Beagle

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Letters to Our Community – D38 demographics changes are important

It is not about school district money, it is about having a plan for teachers and student population changes.

Our school district neighbors in Denver closed schools apparently because they did not see or plan for the growing student loss over the previous years.

School districts and boards like D38 are expected to identify changing demographics and plan in advance, not spring school district decisions on the community without specific detailed plans.

D38 demographics have changed over the last three years, and it is important D38 strategic plans are updated not only on a scheduled basis, but when rapid changes occur over a short period of time to account for inflation, population shifts, staffing, and budget changes.

Our Denver neighbors are learning district plans should be dynamic and be quickly reviewed with the community as conditions change and certainly before school closure decisions are quickly made.

President Reagan is famous for saying “Trust but verify.” Significant D38 demographic household changes, growth estimates, budget assumptions, curriculum evolution, and classroom teacher requirements are coming or already here. Community verification is difficult in an information-sparse environment.

D38 plans seem to be lagging in reflecting the new reality of rapid inflation, competitive staff recruiting, addressing deferred maintenance, and sadly a successful comprehensive vision for the future of our district.

A change in D38 is overdue and November elections are coming soon. Choose wisely and express your opinion just as the Town of Monument community governance decision and successful vote proved are essential for a better future.

Gordon Reichal

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